The Kirkus Prize is one of the richest literary awards in the world, with a prize of $50,000 bestowed annually to authors of fiction, nonfiction and young readers’ literature. It was created to celebrate the 81 years of discerning, thoughtful criticism Kirkus Reviews has contributed to both the publishing industry and readers at large. Books that earned the Kirkus Star with publication dates between November 1, 2015, and October 31, 2016 (see FAQ for exceptions), are automatically nominated for the 2016 Kirkus Prize, and the winners will be selected on November 3, 2016, by an esteemed panel composed of nationally respected writers and highly regarded booksellers, librarians and Kirkus critics.

KIRKUS REVIEW

When Jeff Russell’s body turns up in a Washington vineyard, signs of
strangulation point to murder. Sheriff Scott Thompson makes a stop at Eric’s
winery since Jeff, a wine broker, had been trying to convince a reluctant Eric
to sell his product in bulk. But the winemaker’s involvement becomes decidedly
more personal when, while Eric’s away on a Hawaiian vacation, someone steals 54
barrels of his best wine, valued at more than $500,000. Eric makes travel plans
after tracking his wine to a shipping container on its way to China. Hoping to
tie the burglars to the murder (Jeff was the son-in-law of a pal and fruit
supplier), Eric scours Shanghai, with assistance back home from the sheriff and
love interest, FBI Special Agent Ashley Hunter. Despite opening with the
discovery of a corpse, there’s initially very little mystery. Readers quickly
learn the identities (and motives) of the killers and burglars. The first half
of the novel retains interest with romantic tension, courtesy of Eric’s
employee, Melissa, who has both feelings for her much older boss and a
noticeably envious boyfriend, Kurt. Wells’ mastery and appreciation of wine are
undeniable, and he’ll turn novices into experts. There is, however, a bit too
much focus on the grape in lieu of thriller plot points, slowing down Eric’s
amateur murder/burglary investigation. It’s the novel’s latter half that amps
up the suspense as Eric works with PI Jiao Ming in Shanghai. They sneak into a
port to find the shipping container and trespass at a winery, all culminating
in further mayhem. There’s also better incorporation of wine into the plot:
locals sell subpar wine bottled with popular labels, so Eric’s confronted with
the mystery of why the thieves want his unknown quality wine.

It’s unfortunate that Eric’s sleuthing isn’t spotlighted more often, but
this remains a thriller that can be savored.

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